Dusk of the dead
by Thecricketsarecalling
Summary: Sequel to "Biggest Fear" Fifteen years later in the future.
1. 15 years later

"_Dead Can Dance -The Host Of Seraphim"_

_Fifteen years later._

"We're all that's left."

A beautiful fifteen year old girl stood on the edge of the beach, dressed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. Her long flowing jet black hair blew past her shoulders as she lowered her head from the howling wind. Her eyes an icy blue as her brother stepped up and lit the fire from one of the torches. Hunter stands much taller then his sister Mary, he's grown into a handsome and mysterious looking young man. Sandy brown hair, and a serious gaze as he watches the grave made out of field grass and wood begin to catch fire. He stands back as the sun slowly goes down, casting a beautiful grayish blue color across the water. It's nearly winter now and the first signs of snow are starting to appear in the sky. He stands beside his sister, watching the flames crackle and pop. The last remains of their friend slowly disappearing. A single tear falls from Mary's face before she turns away. She can't watch anymore.

Slowly Hunter's arm goes around his sister's thin shoulders. He knows she's crying but can't look at her. His eyes fixes on the burning grave, tiny pieces of popping embers go up into the sky and are carried off by the wind.

Finally Mary turns around, she's crying.

"Why did they all have to die?"

"It's the natural course of life…that's what John used to say."

"But everyone, every single person who loved us…"

Hunter shakes his head, he's also feeling empty and numb. Over the last fifteen years they lost everyone. Mostly from sickness. They haven't touched the outside word…but they know it's happening again. The virus will never end, those faint cries in the night, drifting across from the main land are them. Hunter knows the world has ended…it ended before he was even born. Now the last of humanity are being killed. They rule the world now…end of story.

Hunter remembers stories, stories that told him about those monsters. Looking out at the dark ocean, he knows it's only a matter of time before their killed too.

His father, Kenneth, John, Sarah, McDermott, New Jersey…all gone.

His father was the last to die. His face so old and worn looking. His gentle gray eyes smiling up at his son before they closed. It was a natural part of time…

He remembered John telling him stories of how death is only the beginning. That once you die you go to Heaven and God sends you down as someone or something else. You could be reborn as a bird and fly away, or a tiny child with not a worry in the world. Looking at his father's remains burn away, he took a deep breath and understood that his safe world here on the island was now gone.

They lived a peaceful and happy life, together loving one another.

But all good things must come to an end.

He was alone now with his sister, and knew their time was short. He had no idea what they would do. Stay on the island and wait until death took them…or escape? He could hardly remember the main land, or the dangers that were brought there. Mary in fact had never left this island her entire life.

Feeling a chill, the fire slowly began to flicker before them.

"What are we going to do now?"

Mary softly said as another howling wind blew past them. Hunter's grip on Mary's shoulder tightened. He had promised Jersey and his own father and no matter what he would protect his sister. Save her from the faith that so many had died from. Here they now were…waiting for death,

"We escape…"

Mary looked up as more tears fell from her eyes.

Just then a noise came above them, a noise Hunter faintly remembered as a child. Mary cried out and ducked down, her entire body shaking. The trees rocked back and forth as sand began swirling up in tiny little clouds. Hunter squints before seeing it above, slowly circling.

A helicopter.

"What is it?!"

Mary screams, trying to hide herself underneath her brother.

Hunter sees it's coming closer, trying to find a place to land. Right away panic sets in his heart, he leans down and looks at his younger sister with serious eyes.

"Go get the guns."

"But Hunter…"

"GO!"

Mary runs off through the trees, minutes later, Hunter watches as the chopper lands further down the beach.


	2. Life

Hunter slowly backs up and hides in the trees, he watches the chopper before the engine stops and there's silence. Seconds later Mary is behind him, breathing hard. She hands him one of the rifles and holds a shotgun of her own. They crouch down between the thick branches and leafs and wait. Just then the door opens, revealing three men. All look around the same height, tall and slim. The man leading them looks to be the oldest. Pushed back med length brown hair and from this distance, striking blue eyes. He holds a gun as approaches the burning out fire. Behind him are two others. One looks much younger, a teenager almost. He has beautiful red hair and big brown eyes. The other looks older then he should be. He wears aviator sunglasses and has short brown hair. The three men all carry weapons and slowly walk up to Michael's burning grave. They circle around it before Hunter stands up, his rifle raises.

"Freeze!"

Right away all three men spin around, they aim at Hunter as Mary steps out…her tiny arms shaking.

The men look Hunter up and down before the leader with the blue eyes shakes his head.

"It's okay, lower your weapons."

The two men behind him do so, all the while waiting for Hunter or Mary to make any sudden movements. The man steps forward.

"How many are there of you?"

Mary glances at her brother, he still holds his gun out. She steps forward, lowering the shotgun before clearing his throat. These are the first new people she's ever seen in her entire life. She notices the man has the same color eyes as she does.

"Only two…"

Hunter looks at her, ready to snap. He stays silent all the while holding his gun out.

"That's it?"

"There used to be more, but their all dead…"

Mary points to the grave which is almost entirely made of ashes now. Thin smoke drifts out of it.

"It's just me and my brother…his father just died yesterday."

Mary bows her head before Hunter steps forward, he notices the three men are looking at the grave.

"What made everyone die?"

"Sickness mostly…we think the virus is coming back, that's why we burn the bodies."

"It has."

The man's words cut through Hunter, he blinks in disbelief.

"It…has?"

"Their slower now, but their all over…less then before, but there still in most of the bigger cities."

"How do you know?"

"We escaped one, burned to the ground…we had an outbreak."

Hunter swallows hard, he still clutches his gun before eyeing the chopper.

"How long ago?"

"About a week or so, we've been scanning the land."

"From Philly?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I can tell from your voice…I visited a camp back when I was a child."

The man nods before lowering his weapon.

"Names Philip Swann, the red head is Jason Warren, and our pilot is Dallion Foster."

The men simply nod as Hunter looks them over.

"Your welcome to stay here, but supplies is low…and we weren't planning on staying too much longer."

"The other chopper, further down the beach…that yours?"

Hunter nods.

"I don't know how to run it…pretty old though."

"Fuel?"

"I think so."

Just then the clouds began to darken, Swann looked up at the sky before motioning towards the other.

"Refuel, we'll get ready to leave in an hour…do you have a camp?"

Hunter nods, showing them the way.

The three of them walk together as Jason and Dallion go back to the chopper, Swann's sparking blue eyes stay serious as they go down the path. Mary walks ahead.

"How long have you been here?"

"I was born on this island originally…my mother was part of a group when the outbreak first happened…she came here with some others."

"Your father?"

Swann looks over his shoulder, in the direction of the beach. Hunter shakes his head.

"They were separated for awhile…years in fact, by the time he got back here she died giving birth to Mary…"

Hunter lowers his voice in the last half, low enough for only for Swann to hear as Mary walks ahead.

"She your half sister?"

Hunter nods.

"My mother became involved with another man who died before Mary was born, he died somewhere in an army bunker back in Florida."

"How many of you were originally here?"

"Six…not counting me and my sister, we lived here for peacefully until everyone started getting sick again."

"Did any of them come back?"

"Sarah…a scientist, also Mary's stepfather…she saw the entire thing, even when we had to put them down."

"Jesus…"

"My father was never the same after my mother died, he tried hard to protect us, but after he got sick…"

Hunter's word trail off before Swann nods.

"Now it's just you two?"

"Yeah…like I said, we were thinking about finally leaving, this place gives me the creeps now."

"Better that you do that."

Hunter looks at Swann, but his eyes are ahead on Mary. Finally Hunter sighs.

"You got a family?"

Swann shakes his head.

"I have a wife, Dorothea…but we became separated when the city got infected, I would like to think she made it, but you hear stories you know."

"Yeah…"

Finally they reach the clearing where all the huts and cabins are. The place looks lived in and beaten over the years. Mary runs over to the still burning fire pit and lays down her gun.

Swan looks around before Hunter stuffs his hands in his pockets.

"Your welcome to anything we have, we've been growing a lot of our food lately, but we have clothes, guns, and fresh water."

Swann turns towards him, the darkness of the night settling. Only the dim flicker from the fire pit lights up his worn and exausted looking face.

"I think you should come with us?"

"Where?"

"There's supposed to be another city in Florida…I heard about a few of them in the United States…it's still safe."

"Do you know that for sure?"

"Hey, it isn't like it used to be…most of us are dead, there's only a few places left."

"You three headed that way?"

Swann nods.

"I promised my wife I would meet here there."

"And what if it's taken over too?"

"Then we keep traveling…"

"Until?"

"Until we find someplace safe again."

Hunter sighs before looking around.

"I don't know…I mean this place is all Mary has ever known, mostly the same for me."

"Your not safe here, not anymore."

"And why's that?"

Swann takes a deep breath, he watches Mary as she throws firewood into the pit. He leans in closer.

"A couple of nights ago, me and the guys landed on a new docks back East to refuel…that's when we saw it."

"What?"

"Those things…going into the water?"

"WHAT?"

Swann shoots him a look to lower his voice, right away both men begin to whisper.

"Thousands of them, like an army…just walking into the sea."

"Your kidding?"

Swann shakes his head.

"I heard down South, stories of zombies fighting sharks under water…getting people on islands like this."

Hunter shakes his head.

"No…"

"I'm not lying…I saw it with my own fucking eyes, think about your sister."

Hunter glances over at Mary, his heart feeling heavy.

"You have an hour to think about it…meet us at the chopper when you decide, pack too."

Swann turns around and disappears into the darkness. Hunter watches him for a moment before turning towards Mary, she wants up to him…part of her eyes excited, the other half scared.

"These are the first people I've seen…well new people since I've been born."

Hunter tries to smile but can't. He knows the virus came back, and from what Swann said…it's worse. Sighing he looks over at the cabins where he grew up in. Years and memories all taken place here. This was the island he was born on, the same island his mother lived on, the island where all of these people came together as hope and tried to make a future. Thinking back on everything, his heart felt a sudden tug on it. He knows all of those he loved were now gone. Only a few days ago, he sat at his father's bed side and spoke with him. His eyes tired looking, his face old, and his hair gray. As he took his last breaths, he made Hunter promise that no matter what…he would protect his sister.

"She's all you have left in this world."

And then Hunter, at only the age of nineteen watched his father die. He knew this is how he would of wanted it. On the island where his mother lived. Now wherever he was, he was with her and at peace. Looking around, he knew winter was coming. The cabins and trees looked bare and frost covered. There was an creepy feel to the land now. He knew the nightmares he had been having were coming true. It was now just a matter of time. Looking at his sister, he remembered the promise he made to his father and sighed.

It was time to leave.

"Mary…"

He started before trying to think of the right words, finally he looked her straight in the eyes.

"Mary, these men are offering to take us with them…their going to some city, it's supposed to be safe."

"Where?"

"Florida."

Mary's eyes lower, Hunter knows why. He tries to find the right words again.

"I don't think it's safe for us to be here anymore…Swann promised to help us, to find other people…"

"And leave the island."

Hunter took his sister's hand.

"I know this is hard, this is where you've lived your entire life."

"This is where mom lived…"

"I know honey, but there's nothing left for us now…don't you wanna see other things, other people?"

"And more monsters and death?"

Hunter paused, for just a fifteen year old she knew the way of life. He then turned and pointed in the direction that Swann went.

"Do you know what's out there?"

Mary looked at him, her eyes looking beautiful in the light from the fire.

"What?"

"Life…that's what there, life."

Mary looked around at the place where she had grown up, tears forming in her eyes she slowly nodded.

"Okay…"

"Okay what?"

Mary bit her bottom lip, she had became distant ever since Jersey died. For so many years he served as a father for her. Everyone had taken part in helping raise her. Now here she was, forced to face her fears and become an adult and leave everything behind.

"Okay I'll go…if your going I'll go."

Hunter tried to smile.

"Okay…let's get packing."

Nodding, Mary turned and walked towards her cabin. Watching her, Hunter sighed and saw the moon coming out.

He prayed this was the right choice.


	3. The new breed

"_Phantasm Theme - Fred Myro"_

_Hunter - A. Michael Baldwin _

_Swann - Kevin J O'Connor_

_Jason - Jason Lively_

_Mary - Ellen Page_

_Dallion - John D LeMay._

It's nearly two hours later. Swann, Jason, and Dallion all lean against the chopper, now refueled. They watch in the darkness as Hunter finishes burying his father. Twice the men offer to help, but Hunter shakes his head. This is something he needs to do alone. In fact, he's help bury almost everyone who's died on this island since his mother. Breaking out into a sweat, he feels the blisters on the palm of his hands throb. Patting down the rest of the dirt with a shovel, he turns his head and sighs, a cool breeze goes against his forehead. Finally Mary walks forward. She has three bags. She looks embarrassed once looking at the three strangers and glances at her brother.

"Need help with those?"

Dallion asks, he lowers his sunglasses and tries to show a friendly grin. Mary avoids eye contact but simply nods. Dallion picks up the bags and brings them over to the chopper. Mary turns and watches her brother before he stands up. She goes to his side and slips her hand into his. Both stand in silence for a while, looking at the line of what seems like ever ending graves on the beach. So many lost…

Hunter's father is beside their mother, just as he always wanted to be. Looking at the rest of the graves he sighs before looking down at his sister. She forces a weak smile before he nods.

"I guess that's it."

Mary nods, fighting back tears before they turn.

Swann nods before throwing his gun over his shoulder.

"You guys ready?"

Hunter nods before they walk over to the chopper. Jason helps Mary in, before Hunter looks over his shoulder and stares at the darkness of the island for one last time.

"_How long will be have to wait?"_

"_Forever…_

Those words drift into his head as he feels a chill. Slighting nodding, he turns back around and gets in. Jason makes sure the doors are shut tightly and that everyone is in their seats. Swann sits in the back with Hunter and Mary, while Jason joins Dallion. Seconds later the engine starts and Hunter feels Mary's grip tighten on his arm. He holds her as the chopper slowly raiser and begins to fly over to water, leaving their old life behind.

A few hours later, Mary is past out on Hunter's lap. He knew she was crying for awhile and finally drifted off. He gently strokes her jet black hair and looks out the window at the waste lands. Finally Swann clears his throat.

"So, tell me the story about the island…"

Hunter shrugs.

"Confusing story…"

"I'm game."

Hunter looks over at Swann before smiling, he sits back still stroking his sister's hair. Looking ahead he tries to remember everything.

"Well, my father was a salesman who met up with my mother who was a nurse when the outbreak first started nearly twenty years ago." "They met up with some other people at a shopping mall and stayed there for awhile, I guess I came to be there."

Swann smirks.

"Anyways, they decided one day to make a break for it and head to the islands…something went wrong and a bunch of people got bit, counting my father who stayed behind."

"He was immune?"

Hunter nods before Swann shakes his head, he reaches for a cigarette and offers one to Hunter. Hunter shakes his head before Swann lights it.

"The new breed of the virus is different, haven't heard of immune bites in Jesus…fifteen years?"

"Well my father was one of them, he even tried to commit suicide but it just didn't happen, it seems as though faith wanted him to stay alive…so he met up with some other people and they joined the camps in Philly, further out you know?"

Swann nods.

"Well my mother gave birth to me on the island thinking my father was dead…we lived that way until a bunch of people came on the island and kidnapped my mother, killed a few others before this kid Terry took off with me, I Must have been four of five."

"Wow…"

Hunter nods.

"We traveled for a few months and just so happen…stumble upon the very same camp my father was in."

"What are the odds of that?"

Hunter tries to smile.

"None I guess….anyways Terry got killed and my father figured out who I was, a night in which the camp was attacked he decided to just go back to the island in case and see if my mother was still alive."

"Was she?"

Hunter shakes his head.

"She was taken to Florida, some army base where soldiers and scientist were held up…she met one of the soldiers who ended up being Mary's father."

"Was Mary born there?"

"No…she escaped around the time Mary's father had a complete mental breakdown, I guess he killed some people, a few of the people left the bunker and joined my mother on the island…where she died in child birth with Mary."

"Did your father ever see her?"

"Right before she died…that's when my dad let one of the guys on the island sort of take care of Mary, we all lived there trying to move on and start a life for each other people everyone became sick…since then everything fell apart."

"That's some story…"

"Yeah…"

"What about you?"

Swann leans back in his seat, his eyes are almost hypnotizing. The faint sound of the engine roars above them as they fly forward into the darkness. Finally Swann looks over, his face filled with pain.

"I was just a kid when it started, my entire family was killed and I ended up going from safety station, to safety station." "There I met people, people who showed me how to fire guns, survive, and fight back."

"Is that where you met your wife?"

Swann shakes his head.

"I was about nineteen when I met her, she was younger but we were living in that blocked off city I was talking about…I worked as an engine man, we lived pretty peacefully until everything fell apart, much like you."

"Was it bad?"

Swann nods.

"A lot of people died, that's when we saw the new breed…I became separated with my wife and told her to meet me at this place in Florida, I had heard about it over the broadcasts, but that's it."

Hunter looks down at Mary sleeping before returning his glance at Swann.

"Children?"

Swann shakes his head.

"We were together for a long time, but no, we didn't have any…I thank God for that, could you imagine ?"

"I know…"

Both stay silent for awhile, Hunter looked out the window at the darkness of the land. Everyone looking like ghost towns, deserted cities of nothing. Finally he spoke again, clearing his throat.

"What's the new breed like?"

Swann looks.

"There's more of them now, I guess the virus almost died out before another stage began…people get sick, drop dead and then turn…much faster."

"That's what happened on the island…that's why we burned the dead."

"That and shooting them in the head, or cutting it off only works as usualy, at least that didn't change."

"Anything else?"

"Their slower…no runners which is good, no immune bites, and the change happens faster, hours even."

"Jesus…"

"I guess we have to face it, twenty years later and there still here…"

"Do you think it's ever gonna be over?"

Swann leans in closer, his voice lowered.

"You really want the truth Hunter?"

Hunter nods before Swann shakes his head.

"I don't think it's ever gonna be over, I hears stories of them wanting to try and attempt to drop nukes finally, but with our luck we'll blow up the entire fucking world."

"There's less of us now, right?"

"Only a couple thousand last count they did…face it, humans are dying out."

"You know, there was this guy on the island named John, he was like a second father to me…he used to say that this was our punishment from God."

Swann leaned back holding his gun before looking at Hunter one last time.

"I think he was right."


	4. Darkness of water

_You want to put some kind of explanation on all this? Here's one as good as any other. We're bein' punished by the Creator. He visited a curse on us. Maybe He didn't want to see us blow ourselves up, put a big hole in the sky. Maybe He just wanted to show us He's still the Boss Man. Maybe He figure, we gettin' too big for our britches, tryin' to figure His shit out - John_

"Mary…wake up."

Mary's eyelids slowly fluttered open before looking up at her brother. For a second it took her to adjust her eyes to the nearly blinding sunlight that was filling up the chopper. Slowly sitting up, part of her hair sticking in different places, she rubbed the back of her sore neck and tasted how dry her mouth was. It then hit her…she was in a helicopter, just last night they had left everything she had known behind them. Right away she found comfort in her brother's eyes before she leaned against him.

"Here."

Hunter held out one of the water bottles as Mary took a drink, looking over she saw Swann looking out the window, and Dallion and Jason up front. These were the men who promised to keep them safe. Sitting against Hunter, finally Jason turned around, a friendly grin spread across his face.

"We'll have to hold off someplace, get some rest and refuel."

"Are we low?"

Hunter strained his neck to see the gages up front. Dallion didn't turn, but simply shook his head.

"No, but this fuel is old…might give us trouble, we'll be there before tomorrow night."

"Where are we?"

"Almost around Nashville, we'll find someplace to hold up."

Mary then glanced out the window, squinting she saw they were going over fast farm land and deserted towns. Never before in her entire life had she seen such things. Part of her felt so excited she couldn't take it…another part of her felt terrified. Looking close enough, she saw a few of those things…simply walking around in small groups.

"See?"

Swann was pointing out the window.

"Their slow, but they mostly travel in groups."

"Will it be safe to land?"

"Of course, we just need someplace safe…Dallion has a map of private air strips."

Leaning back against her brother, Mary looked over at Jason.

"How old are you Jason?"

Jason glanced over.

"Nineteen."

"That's how old Hunter is."

Hunter faintly smiled down at Mary before looking ahead at Jason.

"Born before or after?"

"Sort of after…my parents worked for a new station, I guess they held up with some other people someplace in Philly and my dad died before I was born."

"Your mother?"

"She died when I was seven, this guy Peter who worked for S.W.A.T knew my parents and raised me…he died before I entered the cities, that's where I met Dallion."

Dallion barley waves his hand, still focusing on driving.

"He was one of the only guys who knew how to fly a chopper…I always wish I knew how, my mother did."

Hunter nods, holding onto Mary. Almost everyone has the same tragic story of loosing people through this.

A few minutes later, Dallion turned around, his sunglasses still on.

"There's a private airstrip near some lake…they might have fuel, we'll hold off there."

"Plenty of land?"

Dallion nods before glancing at Swann.

"I would keep your weapons handy through…"

"Always do."

Nodding, Dallion turns back around and begins to lower the chopper. Mary's grip tightens on Hunter's arm.

Once they land, it seems almost like a dream. Vast rolling hills and fields around them. Not a thing in sight. The sky is bright blue, and the trees around them are turning colors. Right away they all hop off, Mary looks amazed as she walks over to the shore of the lake. The water laps against the docks as Hunter keeps a close eye on her.

The men circle around, guns raised. They see the deserted small landing strip, and a few sheds. Swann motions towards Dallion.

"Check the fuel, and the main base…go with Jason, any guns or supplies take, don't be stupid."

The men nod and walk away, Swann circles around with his gun, slowly checking each shed. Hunter meanwhile holds his gun and walks over to Mary. She knees in the tall field grass and looks at the water amazed. A nice gentle breeze blows past and her hair goes behind her shoulder. Hunter stands back watching her, thinking how truly beautiful she is. Finally she turns with a smile on her face.

"It's so nice out here…"

Hunter smiles before standing beside her.

"Yeah it is…"

"It's warmer too…they don't get snow down here do they?"

"I don't think so."

Just then Swann walks out, his run raised.

"I say we hold up in one of these sheds for the night, get a good night's sleep…something to eat…"

"What about those things?"

Hunter asks, he wishes he didn't feel so nervous, but he tries to think about Mary. Swann walks over.

"I have trouble sleeping, I'll keep watch during the night…we have our guns, trust me we'll be safe."

"You've done this before?"

Swann smiles.

"Everyday…come on."

Mary and Hunter go with them, they enter inside of one the bigger sheds right on the rock. Everything inside is rusted and covered in dusk. Swann goes to the chopper and takes out sleeping bags along with a box of food. They begin to set up before Dallion and Jason come back.

"Chopper is all set."

"Good, now let's lock up and try and get some rest."

The rest of the day they spend in the shed. They sit on the floor in a circle eating. They talk a little, but mostly stay silent. They hear the wind outside and the water going against the docks. Finally the sun begins to set. Swann finds a lookout, which faces the field and the lake. He sits there, drinking some water and watches. Jason puts on what looks like old battered headphones and lays back. Dallion does the same…his sunglasses still on.

Mary uses the bathroom and quickly comes back inside. She finishes her dinner and curls up beside Hunter and sleeps. He knows this is a lot for her, she's beyond excited and exausted. Laying there, finishing his own food, he sees it's getting darker. Finally shadows over take the shed and it's silent. All he can hear is the water and everyone's faint breathing.

It's night now, and Hunter has nearly drifted off. He opens his eyes and sees Swann looking out the dirty window of the shed, his gun close to him. Slowly getting up and laying Mary down, he walks over.

Swann smokes a cigarette and gazes out through the dirty glass. Hunter looks and nearly screams. Swann's hand goes out and squeezes his arm.

"Shhh…their gonna hear you."

Hunter looks out the window, he's terrified…he wants to grab Mary and run back to the chopper.

"Swann…"

"Shhh, we're safe in here, just keep still.

"But…"

"Shhh!"

Swann and Hunter look out the small window that faces the water. Slowly they watch as the things walk out of the water, dripping wet and rotting. They slowly shuffle up the shore and head towards the fields. Their eyes glazed over, and they moan. Hunter feels himself shaking and hears the faint sound of dripping water and chains hitting each other. He watches as the things, at least twenty of them walk up from the darkness of the water and go forward.

"Jesus…your right…"

Hunter whispers.

"They can go through water…"

"They mostly come out at night, in large groups…during the day their spread out."

"Should we try to make a run for it?"

Swann shakes his head.

"No, we're okay…just keep still."

Hunter stands beside him watching as the things keep walking forward, going past the shed and into the darkness.


	5. You'll see her soon

"Don't dream it's over - Crowded House"

Blair - Adam Storke

_A little after sunrise, they disappeared. Hunter still stood beside Swann, his eyes fixed through the dirty glass and looking into the vast fields and farm land around them. He couldn't believe it. Suddenly chills went through him, he thought of what would of happened if they stayed on the island. Just the image of Mary being torn part by those things, dripping wet and smelling of rotting flesh. Shutting his eyes he felt sick. Swann smoked what seemed to be his forth cigarette before coughing._

"_I don't know why I keep smoking these, their rolled, not like the old kind…"_

_Taking another drag, he glanced over at Hunter._

"_You okay?"_

_Hunter snapped out of it before looking at him, his eyes scared._

"_I guess so…"_

"_Hey don't worry, they spread out during the day, we're fine."_

_Hunter looked back at the window, he had no idea how long they had been standing there._

"_They are different this time, aren't they?"_

_Swann slowly nodded before turning around._

"_Let's get these guys up, we have a lot of miles to get down before night."_

_Nodding, Hunter turned and glanced at Mary…curled up and looking so beautiful._

_An hour later everyone was up. Loaded back into the chopper, Dallion directed them South. Everyone sat back in silence, Swann now was sleeping. Hunter stared out the window while Mary crawled up front and sat between Jason and Dallion. The three of them seemed to be getting along pretty well, in fact he thought he heard her laugh a few times._

_While flying further, the sound of the engine around them, Hunter overheard Mary ask Dallion a question._

"_Have you ever been to Florida?"_

_Dallion nodded._

"_Once, a few years ago searching for teams, this was around the time I learned how to fly."_

_Mary looked down at her hands before looking up at him, sunglasses still on._

"_Did you ever see any army bunkers?"_

_Right away Hunter looked up and tried to listen. Mary didn't know much about her biological father. In fact over the years it seemed like a subject that was better left unsaid. The only ones who really knew him were Sarah, John, and McDermott. Hunter heard things before, mostly when the adults were talking at night. He knew Mary's father was a solider at the bunker where Sarah lived. The same bunker his mother was brought to when she was taken away. He heard that Mary's father lost his mind, in fact had always been unstable because of something that had happened…and killed some people. Growing up, Mary asked questions about her parents…but Michael, John, and most of all Jersey tried to raise her themselves. Teaching her never to think about things that didn't matter._

_But in her mind it did. She never got to meet them, they died before she was even born. John briefly told Mary once or twice about her father and how he died before she was born. Always egger to hear more, the subject, they never went into true details of how Mary's father lost his mind and killed people. How he nearly killed the ones who escaped and died there in the bunker all alone. Mostly they talked about Ana. Michael was the one who did this. When Mary was younger she would curl up in Michael's arms on the beach and he would tell her stories about her mother. How beautiful she was and how she was an angel up in heaven. Jersey helped raise Mary the most, in fact it was a sort of unspoken adoption. He taught Mary how to walk on the white sand beaches, and took care of her before he died. Everyone put in their part, but Jersey was the closest. In fact, right before he died, he admitted the thing that kept him going was raising Mary. Since the others died, Mary spoke about dreams of her parents, how badly she wished she could of known them. Hunter at least had his mother for five years, and then Michael for another fourteen._

_Thinking of his own father, Hunter sat back feeling a deep ache in his heart. He was such a good man who did everything to make them feel safe. But he knew a large part of him died when his mother did. Looking at Mary, he wished she would stop asking about her father. From what he heard he was an awful man, nothing like John, Jersey, or even his own dad._

_Dallion said there were a lot of them near the swamps, in fact there were bases all over. Mary sat back in interest before she eyed Hunter. Crawling back she fished into her bag and took out her notebook. Sitting against one of the seats she wrote silently. _

_Hunter decided to not speak about it to her, a lot of happening and he knew she couldn't help it. The people who raised and took care of her were all dead. Now only with her half bother, she wished deeply she could have had at least one memory of her birth parents._

_Hunter looked out the window and saw the land begin to change. Slowly he saw palm trees, swamps, rivers, deserted cities. The air felt warmer and the sun was blazing down. Sitting there he remembered from the book that John used to show him as a child. He learned and read about Florida. Smiling to himself he knew this was the state where Mickey Mouse was from. Looking up he saw Jason was turned around in his seat and talking with Mary again. Swann sat beside him asleep. Finally Dallion looked over his shoulder. Hunter began to think if he ever took those sunglasses off or not?_

"_We're almost there…"_

_Mary and Jason looked as Hunter leaned forward._

"_It's a city…"_

"_Supposed to be, or a safe zone…"_

"_When is the last time you heard about this place"_

_Dallion shrugged. _

"_Right around the time the city we were holding up in fell apart, a total breakdown…I was one of the head pilots and met up with Swann and Jason while everyone ran for the docks."_

"_You three were all that made it?"_

_Dallion shook his head, his gaze returning back to the front windshield of the chopper._

"_I'm sure lots of people made it, we have twenty choppers and all were jammed packed, lots of people ran."_

"_Just you three in this one?"_

_Dallion shook his head again._

"_More, in fact there were about seven of us…a few guys I knew working on the bases, they all split up after we circled around New York."_

"_Bases there?"_

"_More like an empire, one dangerous place too…that's where most of the psychos headed, we didn't stay long but the others wouldn't leave."_

"_Why?"_

"_Beats me…maybe with the new breed and all they decided to just screw everything and live life on the dangerous side."_

_Just then Swann slowly opened his eyes. Looking around he woke up and looked out the window._

"_We're almost there?"_

_Dallion nodded._

"_Just a few more miles, made pretty good time too."_

_Hunter sat there, looking over at Mary talking with Jason. Seconds later Swann began to laugh._

"_Sonofabitch."_

"_What?"_

"_Look…"_

_Hunter leaned over at his side and looked out through the window. Past of rolling swamps and waste land, they finally got to what seemed to look like miles upon miles of orange groves…for what seemed like ten or so miles were thick gates, higher then eleven feet or so. Inside this area seemed to look like a small town. There looked to be a main street with buildings that you might see in a small southern town. Houses, cabins, bridges leading to different parts, a lake, fields, and what looked to be a huge radio tower._

"_That…can't be it."_

_Jason looked out his window._

"_Looks more like a small town…"_

"_Look at how big it is, nice and gated off…see all the equipment they have near the tents."_

_Hunter squinted and saw what seemed to be tractor trailers, trucks, cars, boats, and God knows what else all in another section. The gated off area looked like a small town, with a main street and three small ones where the cabins and houses were, all making a perfect circle around the radio station. Around were the fields, where things seemed to look as though they were growing, a small lake, a few shacks, and the equipment where the tents were. Right away Hunter had a memory of the teams where he met his father on the vast farm land. All of the tents and trailers together like a small little town._

"_It can't be…"_

_Swann softly said to himself, right away Dallion checked the gages before shaking his head._

"_I think it is, few more miles after this it's all dead swamp and then the ocean."_

"_But they said it was a city, like the one we were in…"_

"_Places are different, looks more like teams then anything else…got a nice little set up."_

"_Yeah, well where is everyone, they said this place could hold at least three hundred…"_

_The first thought that jumped into Hunter's mind was perhaps everyone who took off hadn't made it yet. But right away he knew that didn't make sense. Squinting he tried his hardest to see people walking below, but nothing._

"_Should we set down?"_

_Swann bit his lower lip._

"_Yeah…do it in the main street, looks clear…any trouble we'll just go right up."_

_Mary have Hunter a nervous glance before the chopper slowly began to lower._

_Within seconds the chopper set down on the main road in the gated and blocked off area. Hunter watched as old newspapers and dust balls blew away from the blades. Finally Dallion cut the engine and they waited._

_Silence._

_The five of them sat there, the only sound of their hearts beating hard in their chests. Glancing out the chopper windows, they waited for any sign._

_Nothing._

_Finally Swann raised his gun before signaling towards the men to look alive. Within even thinking, Mary grabbed her gun and looked at Hunter. Slowly they began to get out. Lined up perfectly, they stood close to the chopper, weapons ready for anything._

_The sun blazed down on them, it was muggy and still sticky even though the first signs of dusk were showing in the sky._

_Standing there, they looked at the small brick buildings. Hunter tried to make them out. At one point this was a small town. A town hall, a post office, the police station, the local dinner and coffee shop, the general store, benches and billboards of people laughing and smiling, faded and peeling from age and the heat. The place looked like a ghost town, deserted._

"_FREEZE!"_

_Right away everyone jumped forward and aimed their guns. Looking ahead they saw one single man slowly walk up to them, a shotgun in his hands. Hunter wanted to yell for Mary to go back in the chopper, but he was too scared to even think. The man began to approach them before Swann screamed again._

"_FREEZE OR I'LL SHOOT!"_

_The man held his shotgun with one hand, turning it over and making sure the five of them knew he couldn't fire it by that position. Coming close enough for them to see, Hunter saw he was a man in his late twenties early thirties. He wore blue jeans and a short sleeve T-shirt with a brown leather vest. His hair was jet black and slicked. Stubble growing on his tanned and tired face._

"_Don't worry I won't shoot…"_

_He tossed the gun over to them and landed a few feet away. Swan stepped forward, his gun still pointed at the man._

"_Who are you?"_

"_Blair…Dean Blair."_

"_Where is everyone?"_

_The man lowered his head and softly laughed to himself._

"_This is it."_

"_What?"_

_Blair put his arm up and made a complete circle, his eyes faced towards the now ash colored sky. Finally he laughed again, looking as though he had been put through Hell and beyond._

"_What I'm saying is I'm it…nobody else."_

"_That can't be, we came from up North, one of the main cities…"_

"_Oh one of those fancy lots with all the money put into them, how many years did that last?"_

_Blair pulled out a cigarette and lit it._

"_They said this was an active place…a safe zone…"_

_Blair shook his head._

"_Used to be, at least it was maybe a year or so ago."_

"_What happened?"_

_Mary asked, her eyes fixed on him._

"_The virus is what happened, everyone got sick…we had doctors who couldn't figure it out, within six months everyone was dead."_

"_Jesus…"_

"_Yeah, and somehow I didn't get so much as a cold…there were others like me, a few couldn't handle the stress and ended up killing themselves or running." "People got sick, couldn't move and just died in the middle of the night…one by one we had to put them down, burn them and bury them…behind the tents is the mass grave we gave them…"_

"_You're the only one left?"_

_Blair nodded._

"_Over the span of six months everyone died or took off…I decided to stay just in case, I minded the area, stayed safe and broadcasted on the radio, hoping someone would turn up."_

"_Why didn't you just leave?"_

"_Don't know how to fly nor drive one of those tanks out back…most of the stuff is rotted out, anyways I hoped more people would come, it's a safe area in all."_

"_But the broadcasts…"_

"_Recording…I used to work the radio up in that tower…"_

_Blair pointed up._

"_I left the recording on all day, aside from the fact that everyone was dead from me…it was still a safe zone, and from what I'm hearing that's what…well whatever is left of us needs."_

"_Nobody else came, nobody?"_

_Blair looked at Swann before slowly shaking his head._

"_Nobody, there were three of us for awhile, another guard I knew and this girl…both got sick two months ago and I buried them myself…"_

_Swann lowered his gun before shaking his head, his eyes wide._

"_My wife, she took a chopper…said she would meet us here, are there any other safe zones or bases?"_

_Blair shook his head._

"_Nothing, just here…"_

_Jason saw how upset Swann was getting and reached out for him._

"_Maybe they took a different way, they could still be headed this way…"_

_Swann tore away from Jason's grip, his eyes wild now._

_Walking past Blair, Swann went further up the road before sitting on a bench. Throwing his gun down, he lowered his head and looked to be crying. There was an awkward silence between the others as they watched him. Blair cleared his throat before stuffing his hands in his pockets._

"_Other then recordings I haven't spoke once on the radio…I used to broadcast all the way up the coast, but there's still looters, crazies you know."_

"_We saw them in New York…"_

_Jason softly said._

_Blair made a dry laugh._

"_Lucky you made it out of there alive, I sleep every night with a gun beside me…waiting for some nut job to slit my throat instead one of those things eating me."_

_Blair slightly turned and looked over at Swann before sighing._

"_I don't mean to say this…but when one of those cities fall like the kind you were in, it usualy not good, choppers get shot down, or worse."_

"_Would you mind if we hold off here, maybe the others are on their way?"_

_Blair nodded._

"_Be my guest, I haven't seen anyone in months…we have plenty of space."_

_Dallion tried to smirk._

"_Fuel?"_

"_I guess whatever you can get from our chopper and cans out back."_

"_Is…is it really safe?"_

_Mary started, looking scared. Blair looked down at her and tried to smile down at her big wide eyes._

"_There's only one exit towards this place and it's up…nobody or anything can get in."_

_Mary made a sign of relief before Dallion looked back at the chopper, pushing his sunglasses up on his nose._

"_After we get settled, you show me the stuff out back?"_

_Blair nodded._

_The five of them stood in silence for a while before Mary glanced over and saw Swann was still sitting there. Tucking her handgun in her jeans, she walked past Blair as Hunter watched, on the verge of saying something. Mary walked down the street before going to the bench where Swann sat. Taking a second she sighed and sat beside him. The others watched, unable to hear what she said._

_Sitting beside Swann, she looked over and saw tears falling from his sparking eyes._

"_She could still be alive…your wife…"_

_Swann shook his head._

"_She's dead…I know it."_

_Mary looked out at the setting sun, casting beautiful golden glows against the fields and buildings. The air around them began to slowly cool off. Sighing, she glanced at him._

"_I know what it's like to loose people you love, your never really able to understand why this happened, all I got left is my brother."_

_Swann looked straight ahead._

"_I don't have anyone now."_

"_You have yourself."_

_Swann looked over, Mary's eyes serious._

"_I mean yourself is the most important…I never even got to know my own parents, everyone who raised me besides Hunter are gone, I know that empty feeling." "But hey…at least it will give you a reason to go on…think to yourself that maybe tomorrow she might come, or the day after that…or the day after that."_

"_That sounds like a lot of waiting for something that isn't going to happen…"_

"_Waiting is forever, I learned that…but hey, one day in the future you'll shut yourself to sleep…thinking your gonna wake up another morning, and that will be the time you see your wife, and you'll be with her._

_Another silent tear fell from Swann's eyes before he nodded, looking at Mary he smiled and put his arm around her. Hugging him, the two watched the sunset._


	6. Feeling alive

"The Nobodys - No Guarantees"

Mary looked out from radio tower at the empty deserted gated off town. The place must have been the size of at least three or four football fields. Seeing the moon slowly peek out from the dark velvet clouds, she felt a strong breeze and withdrew herself back in. The tower looked like a small wooden shack. Inside the equipment was old and slowly breaking down. The walls covered in posters and old faded flyers. Blair sat at his desk, headphones on and listening to his recording. The same broadcast that had been playing for months. Mary sat down in a lumpy feeling couch and laid back. Blair seemed nice enough and was more then happy to show them around.

"You want an orange?"

Mary looked over, she felt pretty tired and was starting to drift off.

"A what?"

"An orange, there's a field further down that grows a ton of them."

Mary sat up smiling.

"I never had an orange before."

"Never?"

Blair looked suspired as he reached down into a small wooden create and tossed Mary one. Laughing, she held it in her hands, slowly moving it around like a ball.

"I mean I heard about them, even read about them…but oranges didn't grow in the island I lived on."

"Well trust me, in a few weeks you'll get sick of them."

"How do I eat it?"

"You peel the skin, it's easy…want me to show you how?"

Mary dug her nails and laughed softly as juice squirted out.

"No I think I got it."

Blair watched somewhat amused.

"That's right, just toss the skin away and eat it…the juice is the best part."

Mary began working on it, licking her fingers as she went along and tasting.

"What do you think?"

Mary bit into another part and thought for a second before chewing.

"It's weird, it doesn't taste at all like a banana, it has kind of a sweet sour thing in it."

Blair laughed before spinning his chair in the other direction that faced the field. Looking out he faintly saw the tiny glow of the other's lanterns.

"Those guys, sure like to burn the midnight oil huh?"

Mary kept eating her orange before shrugging.

"Yeah I guess so…"

Blair eyed her before looking back out the window.

"That was some story I heard about what happened to you guys, must feel weird being someplace else."

"I guess so…but part of it really is exciting, I mean here I am talking with you and eating an orange."

Blair smiled again before leaning back.

"Do you think you guys are going to stay?"

"I don't know…I hope so, I mean where else would we go?" "This place seems nice, and safe."

"Well that's what I thought, but it gets pretty creepy out here when your alone at night."

"You don't have to worry about that anymore."

Blair locked eyes with Mary before looking back down at his equipment. Switching a switch some smooth jazz music filled the air. Smiling, Mary settled back down on the couch and ate the rest of her orange. All the way up here in the tower the night's heat wasn't as bad. In fact it seemed to be cooling off a little bit.

"You like this music?"

Mary nodded.

"I love all kinds of music…"

"Yeah me too."

Mary then looked over at the wall and saw a huge map of the state of Florida. Pushpins and post notes stuck all over it. Slowly Mary stuck the last piece of her orange in her mouth before getting up and wiping her hands on her jeans. Looking over at it she traced part with her finger before turning.

"Is this Fort Knox?"

Blair looked up from what he was doing and leaned his neck to the side before nodding.

"Yeah."

"What's in that area?"

"Swamp land mostly."

"Army bunkers?"

"Oh yeah, I think there's at least one and some farms…"

"Ever been?"

"Flown over it a dozen times, lost of forests around there."

"How far is it?"

"From here?"

"Yeah."

Blair thought for a second.

"Less them twenty miles give or take…all that's after this is swamp and then the ocean."

Mary paused, looking at the map before nodding. Blair went back to his equipment before she returned to the couch. Reaching into her bag she took out her notebook and began to study one of the pages.

Down in the field, Dallion had just finished gasing up the chopper. Jason and him carried on the last fuel buckets before checking the other tents for equipment they could use. Even though most of everything had been sitting for nearly twenty odd years a lot of it was useable.

Swann meanwhile went with Hunter and looked over the entire area. There was storage, plenty of stocked supplies, and empty deserted buildings filled with rats. They found some ammo and lighter fluid. After a good two hours of walking around they rechecked the gates and returned.

"That it?"

Swann asked throwing his rifle over his shoulder.

Dallion pushed his sunglasses up on his nose before nodding.

"Place is clean."

Hunter looked around before seeing the light was on in the radio tower.

"Now what?"

Swann seemed lost in the moment for a second before turning around.

"We stay here and wait."

"For what?"

"For anything, seems safe enough…good enough to lay down for a while."

"And Blair?"

"Good enough in my book, but I wouldn't give trust out that easy."

Nodding Hunter understood what Swann meant. He knew this was the perfect place to settle down in, just as the island had been for his mother and father years before. It seemed as though they had everything they needed and were hidden away. But he knew the truth. The new breed was out there, and so wasn't plenty of dangerous people.

There wouldn't be any sleeping on the job, nor letting their guard down.

Once they climbed the radio tower, Blair decided to show them where they could sleep. Taking them over to a deserted motel, he showed them that he had been holding up in here for awhile now. There was a pump out back for water, and free clear of rats. Each man took a room, looking tired and worn out from today's work.

Swann decided to stay watch again, claming he couldn't sleep.

Hunter shuffled to his room before looking over at Mary.

"You want to share rooms?"

Mary shook her head.

"I'll take the one next door."

"You sure?"

Mary faintly smiled before nodding.

"Yeah."

Hunter smiled back at his sister and yawned softly under his hand before waving to her. Going into the small musty smelling room he threw himself on the bed and feel asleep before he was even able to kick his boots off.

A few hours later Mary woke.

She had another nightmare.

Rubbing her goose bump covered arms, she shivered and threw back the covers of the bed. Walking to the window she drew back the curtain and saw Swann sitting in the field, gun in his lap and his head pointed in the direction of the night sky.

Mary walked out of her room, making sure not to make any noise before walking barefoot into the fall field grass. Swann glanced over his shoulder and saw her coming, his beautiful blue eyes shinning in the darkness. Mary smiled at him before taking a seat beside. The fresh smell of soil and dirt filled her nose. Never before had she seen a place like this, nor felt so alive. The air was still and perfect, warm enough to enjoy a faint breeze that blew by. Sitting there in silence for a few moments, Mary looked up at the moon and remembered her dream.

She had been having them since she was a child. She remembered how worried everyone had gotten on the island when she started having them, most of all McDermott, Sarah, and John. After a while she pretended she didn't have them any more.

But they still came.

She was in a building someplace with no windows. It's dark and the few lights that are on flicker. She hears moans in the distance and always feels so cold. Then she sees a man, dressed as a solider laying on the ground, covered in blood and calling her name.

Trying to push back that ugly image, she then looked over at Swann. His face seemed lost looking off into the darkness of the field. Right away she felt something she never felt before. Something she couldn't explain nor control. Slowly her hand drifted over and covered his.

He glanced down before locking eyes with her. Mary licked her lips and tried to think of something to say. Her heart pounded in her chest. But before she could, Swann leaned on and kissed her. The first kiss she ever had. Closing her eyes she enjoyed the moment before he pulled back, somewhat ashamed.

He looked away.

"I shouldn't of done that, Jesus…your fifteen."

Mary sat there for a second, thinking of his eyes. She knew he was upset about his wife and most likely confused. But she was certain that if there was such thing as love at first sight, it happened to her. Swann was a lot like Hunter, he seemed to make her feel safe. She wanted to say so many things before she reached over and touched his face.

He looked over again.

There she kissed him, slowly drawing him closer to her as sweat rolled down her face. She couldn't control herself.

Slowly he lowered the two of them onto the ground, against the soft rich smelling dirt. Mary's hands opened Swann's shirt as his soft lips slowly went down her neck.

"This is crazy…"

He muttered.

Mary didn't care, she wanted her first time with him. She wanted to remember this night the rest of her life. Feeling his warm breath against her and then something else, she stared up at the full moon and felt alive.


	7. A mistake

"_Evaporation - Shriekback." _

"_And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was death, and hell followed with him"_

The next morning, Hunter woke by feeling thin warmth from the sunlight drift in through the curtains of his room. Blinking away the sleep he slowly sat up and right away smelled must. Laying there only in his boxers, he rubbed the back of his neck and looked around. He was sleeping in a small motel room. His bags tossed to the side and his gun laying on the dresser. Slowly standing up and shuffling to the bathroom, he was suspired to see the plumping still worked, even though they used the pump out back to drink. Before dressing he caught his reflection in the dirty cracked mirror and sighed. He didn't look nineteen year old, he looked much older. Pushing away his sandy colored hair that was now growing darker he wished that perhaps they could find peace here. Feel safe as they did on the island. Find others and start over. He dreamed of one day falling in love. Finding a girl who would understand him. His entire life he wished for this. After most of his family died, and then his father he had a sudden fear that he might very well die alone.

Pulling on jeans and a T-shirt he ran his fingers through his hair and walked out. The wave of humid air surrounded him as he squinted. It must of all ready been eighty or ninety degrees out there. His gun in one hand he walked down the road to what looked to be a small park. Dallion, Jason, Blair, Swann, and Mary were all ready up. The five of them sat at a picnic table eating canned food and fresh fruit. A few trees were around them, giving good enough shade to feel comfortable. Everyone looked pleasant despite the dreaded heat. Mary was in jeans and a baby blue colored blouse. Her dark hair in a ponytail. Walking over Hunter smiled before setting his gun down.

"Guys should of woke me…"

Dallion who had his sunglasses on took a sip of what looked to be beer.

"Mary said you must have been exhausted, we decided to let you sleep."

Hunter took the can from Dallion and was surprised to see it was beer.

"From the city, funny…they still went on making beer after the entire world feel apart…few months old but I kept it cold, even have my own stash of hooch myself."

Blair cracked a grin as Hunter tasted some. It was bitter but still felt amazing going down his throat.

"There's a huge wine cellar in the town hall too…plenty to keep us juiced for all time."

Hunter handed back the beer to Dallion smiling.

"Well we'll have to crack open a bottle tonight."

The men laughed before Hunter's eyes drifted over to his sister. There he saw Swann and Mary were holding hands. Right away he looked up at her but she was looking away, embarrassed almost knowing what he saw. Hunter then looked at Swann. He somehow knew what was going on and didn't like it one bit. He knew Swann was a good man, but this was his sister. The only family he had left. She was just a kid, she didn't know any better.

Swann's bright blue eyes locked with Hunter's and saw how angry he was before dropping them. Hunter turned away as Blair went on talking about the pond they had and plenty of fresh fish.

A little after eleven, Jason, Blair, and Dallion were tossing around a football in the park. Mary sat off to the side laughing and clapping whenever somebody fell down. Off to the side, sitting in the shade, Hunter spoke with Swann.

"So I take it your very fond of my sister?"

Swann looked over at him before clearing his throat.

"Listen Hunter…I didn't mean any harm."

"She's just a kid man, I mean how could you."

Swann shook his head before looking off at Mary who was laughing.

"She's not a kid, I think that's what you don't get about her…she's like you, old before your time."

Hunter looked at his hands, he really couldn't figure out what to say.

"Still, she's my sister and she means a lot to me…you said it yourself, you have a wife."

Swann looked up at the clear blue sky.

"Who's dead…I hate to say it out loud, but I know it's true."

"So you jump onto the next best thing?"

Swann shook his head.

"It isn't like that."

"Then what is it like?"

Swann sighed, crickets were heard in the distance chirping.

"Your sister is one hell of a person, and I care for her a lot…but everything has happened so fast, if you want me away from her…I'll respect that and stay away."

Hunter looked over at Swann and the two men locked eyes.

"I just don't want her to get hurt…"

Swann shook his head.

"I understand."

The two men sat together in silence for awhile before Hunter got up and joined the game. Swann meanwhile decided to take a walk by himself. Going down to the pond he stood there, looking out at the fresh water and thinking about his wife.

Mary followed him.

Smiling she ran up behind him and threw her arms around his waist. Never before had she felt this way. Ever since last night she knew she was a woman now and had so many things to look forward to. Giggling she turned him around and went in to kiss him.

Swann pulled away.

"Don't."

Mary looked at him.

"What?"

Swann shook his head.

"Listen, I think last night was a mistake."

Mary pulled away, her heart dropped as she stared at him.

"Huh?"

Swann took a deep breath before stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Mary last night was amazing, and I'm honored that it happened between us, but you need to understand right now isn't the time to get serious about something."

"When is…I mean the whole point of coming here was to start over."

"Mary, it's only been a couple of days since you left the one place you ever knew, I mean we're worlds apart."

"You mean age…"

Swann shook his head.

"It's not just that, I feel like it just wouldn't be right…you still have a lot of living to do and my wife could still be alive."

Tears filled in Mary's eyes as she slowly backed up.

"So…I'm just a kid right?"

Swann shook his head again.

"No Mary, I care for you very much it's just…"

"Did my brother say something?"

Swann didn't say anything.

"Did he?!"

Silent tears fell from Mary's face before she turned around. Swann went to touch her shoulder but she pulled away.,

"Mary please…"

"NO!"

Mary ran away and started towards the street. Swann would of ran after her but took a deep breath and faced the water again. His thoughts drifting to his wife's face.

Mary ran all the way up main street, trying to escape this awful aching in her heart. The same ache and empty feeling she got whenever somebody she loved died. The same ache she got when she saw Jersey and Sarah get shot when they came back as those things. Hating everything, she ran as fast as she could.

In the park, Jason threw the football and Hunter caught it before seeing Mary run down the street. Dropping it he called after her and followed.

Mary finally found what looked like a deserted post office and collapsed on the sidewalk. The sun beating down on her back she began to cry. Head in her hands as she wished so badly that her parents were here. Her mother and father, the ones she had dreamed about. Crying she rocked back and forth wishing she was dead and that she could be with them.

Hunter then slowed down and sat down beside her.

"Mary?"

Mary looked up, tears running down her face.

"You told Swann to stay away from me, why?!" Why would you do that?!"

Hunter paused for a second.

"Mary, he's almost twice your age…he's married…"

"I never had somebody, never in my life to love and you keep saying I'm just a kid, why would you do this to me?!"

Mary lowered her head again and began crying.

"Mary, listen…other people will come, maybe somebody your own age," "I know Swann is a good man, but it just isn't right." "I'm doing this because I love you."

"Bullshit!"

Mary snapped at him.

"My entire life you used the fact that I killed mom against me, always protecting me…always trying to shield me from everything!" "Jesus Hunter! Look around…the world is finished…why can't you stop living with the dead and let me be happy!"

Hunter shook his head.

"You don't know what you want…"

Mary shook her head trying to control her tears. Hunter paused, biting his bottom lip before leaning in. Before Mary could react, Hunter's lips were tightly pressed against hers. Mary leaned back as his hands went around her and their mouths opened and closed.

Mary then pushed away.

"STOP!"

Hunter looked at her, just as stunned as she felt. Blinking in silence for a moment he looked away.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean it…"

Mary then jumped up and ran.

"MARY!"

But she was running as fast as she could down the main street and towards her room. Hunter thought about running after her but knew he couldn't ashamed of himself he lowered his head and began to cry.


	8. Praying

"_Lift Me Up - Moby"_

"_Ana it's okay, it's going to be all right."_

"_No…it won't."_

Hunter sat on the sidewalk for at least an hour, looking across at the other deserted buildings that once served as a town for people years ago. Sitting there with the sun beating down on his tanned body, a million thoughts went through his head. Feeling ashamed and guilty, he tried his hardest to build up the corange and talk to her. He really didn't know what he was thinking, nor why he kissed her.

She was his sister…

He thought to himself.

Half sister…

Another side of his mind said, but still he lowered his head. He deserved to die for what he did. Finally he stood up and decided to talk with her. Walking back to the motel he softly knocked on her door.

No answer.

Opening the door he looked around. The bed was made but no Mary. Turning he walked down the sidewalk towards the park. Swann had joined the football game along with the other guys. Pausing, Hunter thought whenever or not to ask if they saw her. Turning away he walked through the three main streets, calling her name and searching for her.

Finally he looked up at the radio tower. Getting on the ladder he slowly began climbing up. After a few minutes he was high above in the air and opened the door to safely get inside. Closing the door behind him he called out her name.

"Mary?"

Looking around he saw she wasn't there, but a note on the couch. Walking over he picked it up.

_Swann,_

_I decided to finally go someplace where I might get some understanding. You see I never knew my parents. I think that's something I've always felt that was missing in my life. I'm sick of people avoiding the subject. I really don't care if I live or die anymore…I want to find peace in a place where nobody ever mourned for my father. Thank you so much for everything…please understand. I will always remember last night._

_Mary_

"Jesus…"

Hunter said, his eyes growing wide. Stuffing the paper into his jean pocket he quickly flew out the door and began going down the ladder. Twice he lost his footing and nearly fell. In complete panic he reached the ground and screamed his sister's name.

That's when the other men came, guns in their hands.

"What is it?"

Jason asked, reaching him first. Hunter was so terrified to even speak, he darted past him and began running towards the main gate which was beyond the field. The other men followed as he stopped dead. Screaming his sister's name he ran forward and saw a piece of Mary's blouse was caught on the high wire fence. Tracks of her sneakers were in the dirt…but other then that she was gone.

Hunter banged against the fence.

"MARY!"

He looked out at the vast swamps.

"MARY!"

The men came around him.

"What's wrong?"

Hunter quickly dug out the letter and shoved it to Swann. Taking it, Swann read before dropping it to the ground. Blair picked it up and scanned the paper before giving a confusing look.

"She's gone…"

Swann went against the fence and yelled himself.

"MARY!"

Nothing.

"Why did she leave?"

Jason asked, taking the letter next. Hunter lowered his head, he couldn't breath. Swann looked the fence up and down before turning towards him.

"Did she say anything?"

Hunter shook his head. He couldn't bare to tell them the truth about what he did. Swann looked just as scared as he did shaking his head.

"We'll just have to go after her."

"Are you crazy man?" "Those things are out there, plenty of them."

"They move slow and their spread out during the day, she couldn't of gotten far."

Dallion didn't bother reading the letter, his shielded eyes looked around the swamp on the other side of the fence and shook his head.

"Is there someplace she could of gone, another town?"

Hunter then looked up, remembering what the letter had said.

"Oh Jesus…"

"What?"

Hunter felt his heart pound in his chest as he paced back and forth.

"Her father…he was in an army bunker around here when he died, ever since I can remember she's asked questions about it, the people who knew him…she took maps of the place from them, always interested in the fucking place!"

"She asked me last night about an army bunker…"

Blair softly said as Swann and Hunter turned to face him.

"Jesus…"

Hunter sat himself down on the ground, he felt completely helpless.

"There's an army bunker around here?"

"Couple of miles, hell that place as been deserted in years, nothing but a waste land."

"She's always asked about her father, but he was a fucking manic…he killed people and died in that bunker when those things got in, only three people escaped."

"It's underground?"

"That's what I heard."

Swann then shook his head.

"We'll take the chopper, circle around…try to spot her, if she is headed that way she'll make it by tomorrow."

Right away the men turned around, heading towards the chopper and getting their guns ready. Hunter stayed sitting before Swann offered his hand. Taking it, Hunter stood up. His eyes still fixed on the ground.

"Listen, none of this matters…we just need to get her back okay?"

Hunter slowly nodded before they headed in the direction of the other men.

Less then a half an hour later, they were loaded up and ready. Dallion started the engine before Hunter softly said.

"I'm sorry guys…"

Dallion looked over his shoulder before shaking his head.

"I might of just met her, but she means a lot to me…now let's bring her back safe."

Faintly smiling, Hunter then knew that Mary wouldn't even dare to look at him if they found her. He wished so badly he hadn't of kissed her and destroyed any trust they shared together. He wished he could go back in time and change things. He prayed they would find her. If anything happened, he would blame himself for the rest of his life.

Lifting up, they started to fly above the swamps, everyone's eyes fixed on the windows.

Sighing, he prayed to God they would find her.


	9. Into the darkness

"_The Abyss theme"_

"_Right before Rhodes died and everything slowly began to darken…he saw something." Something beautiful and something he couldn't explain." He saw his unborn daughter…" "Praying to God as he died, he prayed to be forgiven…he was mislead." He prayed that his daughter would never have to see a place like this, nor know the kind of man he was."_

Dusk.

Mary quickly ran down the deserted highway with her backpack on. The map from the radio tower tightly crunched up in her hand. Her boots pounded on the pavement as the last rays of light from the day shinned down on her. The sky was turning a beautiful orange velvet color as stars began to appear. Silent tears still running down her face, she felt her heart pound as she ran faster. Wishing she could just escape this pain. Wishing that she could just run away from it all.

It began to get darker.

Off in the distance she saw one of those things. Her gun was held against her belt. Freezing she ducked down and waited.

The zombie walked through a swamp field and then out of sight, not even noticing her. Feeling herself caught a harsh breath she shook inside. Getting back up she glanced at the map, using the setting sun as light and went down a side dirt road.

There she saw a huge gate with a sign saying…

"_Fort Knox Army Base Center - US Government Sector 71225"_

Sticking the map in her back pocket she began to climb the fence. Within seconds she was up top and started to swing her legs over the side. That's when her gun dropped.

"Shit!"

She mumbled to herself.

She could of very well climbed back down and grab it, but she decided she was better not to. Swinging on the other side, she climbed down and looked around. She was on a road that lead through a thick forest. Hearing crickets in the background, she took a deep breath and walked forward.

After a few minutes she came to what looked like an open field.

There was another fence, about the size of a football field surrounding it. A few shacks and what looked to be a small falling apart building was seen in the faint darkness. She then saw the roof of the building had fallen in. The grass was overgrown and weeds covered everything. Walking forward she saw skeletons all over the place, flowers and grass growing through them. The moon slowly began to appear out of the clouds again.

She walked through the open rusted fence and looked around. Finally she saw it.

It looked to be a huge hole in the ground, grabbing her flashlight in her backpack, she shinned it down. There she saw a cement floor at least twenty feet down. Thinking fast she set down her backpack for a moment and took out the rope she had been carrying this entire time. Looking around she saw a spike in the ground made of steel. Looping the rope around she prayed it would work. With her luck she would be in mid air when it came loose and she would die in the darkness with broken arms and legs. Pulling on the rope a few times she threw her pack on and began slowly climbing down.

Within minutes she set foot down. Right away she felt a chill and noticed it was at last twenty degrees colder down here. Using her flashlight she looked around the pitch darkness.

She heard a bat fly by and nearly jumped.

Knowing how stupid this was, she pushed away these thoughts. She wanted to show respect, she wanted to know deep down in her heart that her father was a good man and that everything she heard were lies. Walking down a corridor she remembered the stories McDermott, John, and Sarah would tell her.

That her father was a solider and how everything that was good in her came from her mother. That her mother was the one who loved her.

She wished to know more, but they never told her.

Now here she was, the place where she was conceived, the place where her parents met, the place where her father died.

The only sounds were her boots clicking against the cement floor, the faint sounds of the howling wind from the caves, and her heart pounding deep in her chest.

Everything was pitch black, an awful rotting smell high in the air as she walked forward into the darkness.


	10. You found me

"_Come Softly To Me - The Fleetwoods."_

It was dark now and they were just a few miles away from where the bunker was. Blair sat up with Dallion directing him, while Jason, Swann, and Hunter kept watching looking out the windows.

So far nothing.

The sound of the engine was so loud, Hunter couldn't even think. The entire time everyone stayed in silence while Hunter softly prayed to himself. He hoped they would find her. He remembered holding her when she was just born. Right when they were burying his mother. He remembered standing between his father, who's old eyes stared at the grave, and Jersey on his other side. He remembered looking down at the baby and promising himself even then at five years old that he would protect his sister no matter what.

He had failed.

Almost as if Swann had read his thoughts, Hunter looked over and he was staring at him. The two locked eyes before something happened.

A noise filled the air, and then the chopper shook. Jason hit the opposite side of the chopper hard as Hunter grabbed onto his seat. Beeping sounds came up front and he heard Blair yelling. The chopper kept shaking and spinning.

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?"

Dallion tried to control it as they shook and began to spin out of control.

"We got hit by something!"

Just then it came again, even louder. The men crashed inside and Hunter heard screams. Fire looked to be all over the left side of the chopper's window. He saw Dallion trying to control it as they started to spin out. Screams were heard as the men were thrown around. The beeping out louder and then…

Darkness.

Mary clutched onto her flashlight and felt herself shaking. She slowly walked down another corridor when she stopped. Shinning the flashlight she saw it was a dead end, an old metal door on the other side shut. Shinning down, she saw rats run by. There saw how what looked to be a pile of cloth and pieces of plastic. Walking closer, she kneeled down.

It was a skeleton, brown and rotten. The smell was so bad, Mary had to turn away for a moment and catch her breath. Looking over again she saw a rat crawl through the mouth of the skeleton. The thing looked torn apart with mold growing on it.

Looking down, her brow wrinkled and her flashlight scanned down. Most of it was missing or rotted away. Sighing she then heard a noise. Freezing she spun around.

"Hello?"

She was able to choke out. Looking down the darkness of the corridor she then saw it. Her eyes grew wide as she stood there.

It was a zombie, it's clothes old and hanging off it's dripping oil like skin. It's flesh completely rotted away, showing it's teeth. It looked at her and moaned.

Mary screamed, spinning around and running. The thing was shuffling quickly behind her. Before she could turn, Mary fell to the ground hard, her flashlight falling out of her hand and spinning away into the darkness.

All Mary heard were groans from behind her. Crying she struggled to get up.

The thing was getting closer when…

A man stepped out from the darkness, all Mary saw were his boots. He aimed a gun and fired at the thing. The gunshot made her jump as she heard the thing fall. Right away the man bent down offering his hand.

"Come on, we need to get out of here!"

Mary didn't even have a chance to think, she grabbed onto the man's hand and quickly ran back to where she came from. It was to dark to see what he looked like, only what he was her height and had a deep voice.

He pointed up at the robe.

"You first!"

Mary struggled but got hold of the rope and with all her strength climbed up. Seconds later she rolled out onto the grass gasping for air. Her eyes fixed on the full moon. The man climbed up behind her, also catching his breath.

Mary then hissed out in pain as she stood up, the man came closer. Holding out her arm she saw she had cut herself pretty bad from falling. Blood dripped down her skin. The man offered his hand again.

"Come on, let's get you fixed up."

Mary looked up, half scared to death. The man had dark hair and a handsome face. He was dressed in an old dirty uniform and dog chains hung around his neck. Taking his hand the two walked over underneath a tree and the man took out a bandana from his back pocket and tied it around Mary's arms.

Mary hissed again in pain.

"That hurt?"

His big brown eyes locked with hers.

Mary slowly shook her head before looking at him in the moonlight.

"What were you doing down in a place like that?"

Mary felt frozen, as though she couldn't speak. Finally she did.

"I ummm…well I…don't…know."

Mary lowered her head and began to cry. She somewhat thought going here would put her mind to rest. Instead she found an underground Hell. She then understood why everyone tried to hide the truth from her. Her father died in an awful place, a place in which she shouldn't of ever gone. How could she have been so stupid? She then understood she needed to go back, back to the people who cared about her and the ones she loved. Looking up at him, tears falling from her eyes she shook her head.

"I…I was lost."

The man faintly smiled in the darkness.

"I know the feeling."

Mary sighed, wiping her tears before looking at him. Somehow his eyes seemed a great deal of comfort to her. Trying she smile she brushed back away her hair.

"What were you doing down there, you a solider or something?"

The man smiled again, looking off into the darkness.

"I guess you could say that, a long time ago I was."

"Were you all by yourself?"

The man nodded.

"I've been stuck down there for a very long time, then you came along and found me…got me out."

Mary softly laughed.

"You were the one who saved me…"

She then looked over at him.

"You've been down there all alone this entire time?"

The man nodded.

"How awful…"

"I guess I deserved it, now I'm free."

Mary looked off into the darkness thinking about her brother. She wanted to see him now. Sighing, a strong wind blew by.

"Here…"

Mary looked over as the man dropped his dog tags into the palm of her hand."

"Keep these, for good luck."

Mary stared down at them, turning the tiny plate over she saw…

_**Rhodes J.**_

_**1765489**_

_**US Army**_

Mary then drew in a quick breath, looking up the man was gone…only the wind surrounding her. Looking around in the darkness she then understood what she had just done.

"You found me and now I'm free."

Mary remembered the body down in the darkness of the hallway. Sighing, she slipped the dog tags over her head and wiped her tears away. Her father was at peace now.

"Thanks daddy…"

She softly said before getting up, the wind blowing around her.

Then…in the distance, she saw an explosion.


	11. I always loved you

"_Strong as I am - The Prime Movers."_

Right before the chopper crashed, the last few images that flashes before Hunter's eyes were memories of when he was much younger. Memories long ago when he was just a child, standing in the sugar colored sand and feeling the warm beating sun shine down on him. He remembered standing with his father, laughing as he watched Sarah and New Jersey help Mary, just shy of three years old walk up the beach. Everyone smiling, everyone laughing.

Then darkness.

Slowly his eyes fluttered and for a brief second he thought somebody had thrown a heavy pile of bricks on top of him. Blinking, he saw dripping water, and what seemed to be things off in the distance on fire. Finally his vision focused and the smell hit him. That wasn't dripping water, it was dripping gas. Trying to move, he found he couldn't. Looking around, he saw that the entire chopper had crumbled, parts of it fallen all around him. He tried to call out but an awful burning feeling soared through his throat. After a second he used all his strength to pull himself up. Gritting his teeth together he pulled his legs from under the weight and looked around.

They were in a field someplace, the chopper completely destroyed.

"Hunter?"

Hunter looked down at himself and saw he was bruised up pretty bad. His arm was throbbing now and he knew he must of broken it. Turning in the direction of the voice, he felt a sudden wave of panic.

"I'm here!"

It was Dallion's voice. Crawling to his side, Hunter pulled himself in the direction of Dallion's voice. Finally he stopped and found him, sitting up against what looked to be burned seats and melted plastic on top of a huge pile of smoking metal. Dallion's dark sunglasses were now broken and no longer on him. For the first time ever Hunter saw him without them. He noticed Dallion's eyes looked much older then they should be, wide serious looking. Hunter pulled himself over through the field grass.

"You okay?"

Dallion shook his head before pointing down at his side.

A huge piece of metal stuck out of his torn shirt, gushing blood oozed through his laced fingers that were tightly against his side. Hunter looked down and saw how pale Dallion looked. Breathing hard, he shut his eyes in pain. Hunter looked around at the darkness. Piles of more burning parts all over. Looking back he saw Dallion trying his hardest not to pass out.

"Where are the others?"

"Blair…Blair's dead, his body is over there."

Dallion pointed, his entire hand covered in blood.

"You sure?"

Dallion nodded.

Hunter didn't bother to turn and look for the body, seeing the blood coming out of Dallion he knew he needed help.

"Swann…Jason?

"I called their names a few times, didn't answer…might be dead."

"What the fuck was that?!"

Dallion shook his head.

"I don't know, looked as though someone fired on us…happened so quick we lost control and them boom!"

Hunter looked around, there didn't seem to be anyone around. Only the darkness of the field around them. Sighing he came closer to Dallion.

"I'm going to try and move you…we're sitting ducks out here."

"No, we need to pull this thing out or I'm not going anywhere."

Dallion gasped, fighting through the pain. Hunter saw the wound and knew it was bad.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Help me pull it out, real quick."

"You sure?"

Dallion nodded, sweat dripping down his forehead. Hunter leaned forward, placing his hands on the piece of metal. Dallion's warm blood going against his hands. Both men locked eyes before Dallion took a deep breath.

"On the count of three…one, two, three!'

Both men used all their force and pulled the piece of metal out, it made a sickening sound and flew out of Hunter's hands and into the grass. Dallion screamed out before lowering his head. More blood gushed out before Dallion quickly shook his head.

"Okay, okay…"

Hunter pressed his hand's against the bleeding wound then a huge nearly blinding light hit them. Hunter jumped back against Dallion as the two squinted. It seemed as though it was coming from the opposite side of the field…like a spot light.

"Freeze!"

A loud voice came from what sounded like a speaker. Dallion's eyes searched, and none of their guns were in sight. Seconds later five men walked up, dressed in black with rifles in their hands. One of the men who looked middle aged was smiling.

"You think you can go across our land like this without paying your toll."

The other men laughed before they aimed their guns at them.

Hunter tried to fight but one of the men rammed their gun into his side, making his fall over unable to move. Within seconds Hunter and Dallion were being dragged through the tall grass. Hunter tried to struggle again but the men used their guns on him. One hit him so badly he felt his head bleeding. His eyes rolling back into his head, he felt a numbing pain go through his body. Looking up he saw the moonlight.

Finally they were thrown into what looked like the back of a truck. Their arms and legs were tied. Hunter looked at Dallion laying beside him.

"Their the people you talked about, the ones like from New York…the crazy ones."

They heard the men laughing and talking in the distance, most likely looking through the wreck for whatever they could use.

Dallion nodded.

"Their all over…

A few moments later, one of the men jumped in the back of the truck along with another guy. They pulled Dallion and Hunter up so they could watch, pulling them up the hair. Both men saw the others search through the wreck before bringing over something that made Hunter's heart almost stop.

Two zombies, the new breed on what looked like long metal chains. Both were medium sized and moaning out. The men laughed as they teased them, throwing rocks and having a good time running around them.

"Holy Mary Mother of God…"

Dallion whispered under his breath. Hunter glanced at him and saw that he was just as scared. The men brought the zombies closer.

"Brought you friends, thought you might like them."

One of the men laughed.

Dallion's hand reached for Hunter's, both men watched as the things were being brought closer.

" Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."

Dallion said, his eyes closed. Hunter then remembered that prayer, his father taught him many years ago. Taking a deep breath and shaking on the inside he joined his friend.

"Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

"Amen."

The men said together.

"You shouldn't fucking pray you sonofabitch!"

One of the men behind them yelled. This time the zombies were close enough to bang into the truck. Moaning and reaching out for them.

Hunter then opened his eyes, just in time to watch the man behind Dallion pull back his head, revealing a long buck knife and slitting his throat. Hunter's eyes widened as he watched blood gush down from his friend's throat. Seconds later he dropped as the men all laughed.

"NO!"

Hunter struggled, but the same man pressed the knife up against his cheek, digging deep into his flesh. Hunter screamed as loud as he could as they kicked him in the side, landing right beside Dallion's body. Being pulled out of the truck, he's thrown on the ground hard. The men surround him laughing and kicking.

Hunter then remembers so many years ago, watching the same exact thing happen to Terry. Closing his eyes as blood bubbles up from his throat, he tried to remember his sister. The men kept laughing before they held the chains out. The zombies only a foot away, clawing to get to him.

At that exact time, Mary ran out through the field, her gun now back in her hand. After seeing the explosion she knew something was wrong. Running as fast as she could she finally reached it. Standing there in the darkness she watched the scene unfold. The chopper had crashed, and they had her brother.

There were five of them, in a circle beating him to death.

They also had two of those things.

Mary felt frozen, standing there she felt completely helpless.

Hunter was kicked again, rolling over he looked up at the star lit sky and saw the zombie being lead closer to him.

"NO!"

Swann ran out of nowhere as fast as he could, throwing himself in the circle, pushing two of the men off their feet. Swann screamed at the top of his lungs before body slamming the man holding Hunter. His eyes wild, he screamed again and pushed into them.

Mary then saw her chance, taking a deep breath she ran closer and aimed.

The first shot she missed. Running closer, she saw the men saw her.

"Please God…"

She cried to herself before aiming again. This time the gun went off and hit one of the men in the throat, the next in the second man's face. Both screamed, falling to the ground. The other there jumped up, struggling with Swann who fought them.

Jason then ran out of nowhere, shotgun in his hand. His clothes bloody, and his face cut up. Walking forward almost in a dazed state, he aimed his gun and fired, hitting the men who were all ready down. Turning, he aimed towards another one's head and blew it off.

Mary stopped dead, watching as Swann struggled with the other men. Hunter slowly got up by Jason's help. Just then one of the zombies spun around and grabbed onto Swann. Mary screamed but it was to late, the thing sunk it's teeth into Swann's neck. Swann screamed for a second before throwing it off him. Seconds later Jason aimed and shot it. Turning around he shot the other one.

Two more men, bloody and beaten still went after Swann as they fought. This time Hunter got up, his legs unbalanced as he locked eyes with Mary. Both stared at each other and Mary saw how sad her brother looked just then. So lost and alone. Turning around he charged and went after the two men, jumping on one of their backs. The men fought as Swann held his bleeding neck. Mary ran up to Jason and the two stood together, waiting to get another shot.

Hunter reached into his belt and took out his knife. Seconds later he brought it into the man's chest who he held onto with all his force. The man screamed and fell to the ground. Both rolled down as Swann fought the last one standing.

Mary then saw her shot, aiming she prayed and pulled the trigger.

The man dropped.

Silence.

Mary dropped his gun before looking over, bodies all over the field as the fires began to burn out. Swann tried to keep his balance, holding onto his neck before he dropped to his knees beside Hunter. Mary and Jason ran over before looking out.

Mary shook her head.

"No…"

Hunter laid on his back beside the other dead man. His eyes stared up at the sky, his own knife sticking out of his stomach. Mary then knew what must of happened. During the struggle, Hunter had stabbed the man, and by accident himself. Now he laid there dying in the field.

Hunter slowly breathed in and out, his eyes locking with Mary's.

"Hunter…"

Mary dropped to her knees and crawled over to her brother. Taking his bloody hand into hers she cried. Hunter didn't say a word, his eyes looking peaceful.

"I'm so sorry Hunter, I ruined everything…"

Hunter slowly shook his head.

"Did…did you find what you were looking for?"

Mary controlled her tears before nodding.

"I did…"

Hunter's breathing became slower.

"I love you Mary, I always will…"

Tears fell from her eyes, putting his hand up against her face.

"I know that."

Hunter stared up at her, a smile behind his eyes before they closed. Mary sat by him for a few moments before Jason stood beside her.

Hunter was gone.

The three sat there in silence for awhile, all around his body.


	12. Living on

"_Heartbeat - The Reds 7."_

A few minutes later after Hunter died, the only sounds in the late night air were Mary's soft cries, and the faint howling of the wind. Hunter now looked peaceful, his body laying there in the field grass, still and without any pain. Finally Jason stepped forward, shotgun still in his hands. After a few moments he took one and rested it on Mary's shoulder.

"Come on…"

The three of them got up, Swann's left hand tightly against his neck as it bleed through and soaked into his shirt. They began walking out of the field before stopping in the road. In the distance a few zombies shuffled by without any notice. Jason helped Mary before they stopped. Turning, they saw Swann standing on the edge of the road, his back turned and his eyes faced up at the moon.

Mary stepped forward.

"Swann?"

He then turned. His face pale, broken blood vessels going down his neck. His eyes nearly going gray instead of the beautiful blue. Jason's grip tightened on Swann's shoulder as they stood there. Mary couldn't believe it, her eyes huge and filled with tears she shook her head.

"Swann?"

Swann just stared at them.

"No, not you Swann…"

Mary cried walking closer, Swann stepped back shaking his head.

"No…"

Swann said in a thick voice almost not like his own.

Mary stood there in the middle of the road, she didn't know what else to do. Swann looked over at Jason before eyeing his gun.

"Do it…"

Mary jumped in front of Jason.

"NO!"

Swann slowly shook his head.

"Mary…please…"

"No! I've lost everyone I ever loved, not you please!"

Swann stepped forward and took Mary's hand. Right away Mary felt how cold his touch was. His gray eyes locked with hers.

"Do something for me…for your brother."

"What?"

"Live…"

Stepping back, his hands slipping out of hers. Mary slowly nodded as tears ran down her face. Jason then walked forward, shotgun aimed. Before he pointed, Mary ran over and kissed Swann's cheek.

"I'll always love you, please take care of my brother."

Swann nodded before Mary turned away, slowly walking up the darkness of the road. Using everything inside her not to turn around and watch. After a few seconds Jason's shotgun fired and Mary jumped.

Jason walked over to her, throwing down his gun. Taking her in his arms he held her.

"I'll bury them…"

"I'll help you."

"No, just stay here."

Mary cried into Jason's shirt before sitting down on the pavement. Looking up at the stars, she played with the dog tags that now hung around her neck.

Three hours later, it was nearly dawn. The sky was lighter and slowly began to change. Jason's clothes and hands were filthy, His palms cracked and bleeding from digging. Now in the field were four graves. Mary joined him as they stood at the food of them.

Mary kneeled down before sighing.

"I loved you all…and we'll love, I promise, for you."

Jason took her hand and they walked away, heading up the road. Both didn't speak until finally the sun came up and they past the shore. The ocean looked beautiful. Standing on the beach, Mary saw how the water looked like sparking crystal.

Birds flew ahead, crying out.

Jason stood beside her.

Mary then saw boats on the docks.

Turning she faced her friend.

"Why don't we just go."

"Where?"

"Anywhere…"

An hour later, the boat they picked was slowly moving out from the shore. Jason drove as Mary stood beside him, watching the land disappear. They didn't know if they would make it, or if they would ever find someplace. The only thing that mattered was they were leaving all the death behind and moving on. Together.

They were alive, and they were together.

Taking Jason's hand, she sighed before turning around. The two headed off as the sun shinned down from above them. Smiling, she played with her dog tags and knew for now on…she would live, live for those she loved.

Sitting beside Jason, hey two drove off together…starting a new life in the unknown.

The End


	13. Last notes

Hey guys,

A very long time ago I wrote the fan fiction story "Biggest Fear." after seeing the Dawn Of The Dead remake in theaters. I'm a huge horror fan and I could stand on my soap box for hours talking about how I feel about remakes, But to keep this short and sweet I'll just say that the remake to Dawn Of The Dead was not nearly as good as the original, but interesting and made a good action movie on it's own. "Bigger Fear." had a good story going for it, but I have to admit I haven't always had the best grammar and spelling skills, and I think I could of wrote the story ten times better, But I worked with that I got and got really good feedback. A few months after finishing it I heard from people who posted reviews that I should write a sequel…so I did.

It was originally called "Between Heaven and Hell." and it was AWFUL. I don't even know what I was thinking. So this year with some time on my hands I decided to make a sequel and do it short and sweet. Just to show what happened to Ana's children all this years later. I know this might have been written a bit to late, but I think it has a better closing feel towards it then my first draft.

I hope everyone enjoyed it, I would love to hear what you think.

I also hope you like the people I casted in the roles.

I'm in the middle of doing tons of new fan fiction (Lord Of Illusions, Phantasm, The Mummy, and soon to be a Day Of The Dead story) keep your eyes open and thanks!


End file.
